Wild

Chapter 36 - Dilemma

A/N: Please note that the chapter will begin in Storm's POV and continue in Makai's for a better reading experience.

Storm

As soon as we're back at our apartment, I detach myself from Kai and walk to the bedroom, ignoring Makai as tries to talk to me.

"Storm-- "

Needing to wash off the experience with the hunters, I turn to the bathroom and shut the door in his face, feeling a sense of satisfaction at his shocked expression right before the door bangs. Just to be petty, I lock it for good measure.

"Storm, please. I just want to be sure that you're okay."

His voice is low, but it carries easily through the door.

"I'm fine," I reply tersely, undressing.

"They didn't hurt you?"

"I can take care of myself."

He doesn't talk for a few seconds, and I walk into the shower, glad he isn't going to keep talking. I don't have anything more to tell him or discuss with him.

"Have you eaten? I can make-"

"I'm not hungry."

"Storm, please- "

"Makai, please leave me alone. I don't want to talk to you, I don't want to eat or any other thing you want to do that involves me.", I reply before I turn on the shower to drown out any response he might want to give. If he thinks that nothing has changed between us he better think again. I'm still so mad and hurt that I don't want to be near him.

While I shower, I think about my mysterious new friend and wonder when I will see him again. Now that my mind is mostly clear from the after-effects of overindulging in alcohol, I curse myself for not taking his phone number when I had the chance. There's something about the mischievous glint in his eyes that reminds me of Callum.

When I'm done with my shower, I dry myself quickly and wrap a towel around my waist. A glance in the mirror satisfies me that there are no visible after-effects of my little adventure.

Kai is waiting for me in the bedroom when I get there. I stifle my surprise at his presence and frown at him, ignoring the treacherous feelings that are trying to escape when he stares hungrily at my chest. "What are you doing here?"

"It's my room too, Storm," he replies calmly, eyes snapping up to my face. His statement immediately triggers my anger again, and it infuriates me to see him sitting on our bed as if he belongs there, talking as if he hasn't been avoiding this room and our bed for weeks.

"Not anymore, it's not. In case you forgot, we've broken up, and I'm taking the room. It's not as if you were sleeping in here anyway. The fact that the idiot hunter and his goons triggered the beast to come after me doesn't mean that I've forgotten everything that happened before that. I still need space, and I will get it elsewhere if I must. Keep sleeping in your studio or on the couch or wherever else you have been sleeping for the past two weeks."

I see a mixture of hurt and guilt on his face, but I'm still too angry and hurt myself to be particularly concerned about his feelings.

He opens his mouth to say something and then stops, shutting his eyes for a brief moment. When he opens them again, I see misery and regret.

"I'm sorry, Storm. Please, believe that. I'm sorry for hurting you as much as I have. It was the last thing I wanted to do."

My stupid heart begins to thaw, but I harden myself against the softening. A soft heart is how I got my heart broken in the first place. "Well, you did," I tell him. "and the hurt is still there."